The admission of Al Franken’s sexual misconduct continues to reverberate around the Internet. His admitted impropriety with a female reporter in 2006, along with shockingly inappropriate photographs, has received universal backlash. While Franken faces a potential ethics hearing on the matter, his conduct may have had another unintended consequence. It may have helped save Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid. We examine.

Evidence - Account

There’s even disturbing visual evidence corroborating the account.

Al Franken, to his minor credit, admitted culpability right away. Considering the photographs, resorting to damage control was the only thing he could do politically. He posted an apology on Twitter, which reads as follows:

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In case any lingering questions about culpability remained, Franken even asked Congress to conduct an investigation into his own actions: “I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.” Case closed.

Taken in isolation, Franken’s transgressions may come across as another celebrity abusing his status. It’s the exact type of deviance we’ve recently witnessed by other deviants in authority, most notably Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein and Amazon Studios executive Roy Price. Sadly, this conduct has become so commonplace that it’s become almost expected, to a certain degree.

Al - Franken - Misconduct - Case - Implications

However, I believe Al Franken’s sexual misconduct case could have more widespread implications when looked at in a broader context. That context includes the embattled campaign of Alabama U.S. Senate hopeful Roy Moore.

Below are three important reasons how Al Franken might have inadvertently saved Roy Moore’s U.S. Senate bid.

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This is the most immediate and impactful way Al Franken has helped Roy Moore’s campaign. It shifted the focus away from Moore’s alleged indiscretions, which have been drip-fed by political foes to inflict maximum damage. Moore now gets a reprieve from the 24/7 negative news cycle that has dogged his campaign; at...